I am a pretty quiet person and don’t like drawing a lot of attention to myself.

So when I walk through a store and see clothing like THIS:

I am pretty instantly turned off. Not wanting to draw attention to myself usually means not wearing something as bold as that.

BUT.

That shouldn’t be the case! I have learned to not be afraid of big, bold, crazy, way out there patterns and colors! Instead, a fashionista wannabe can embrace these crazy designs and actually make them look pretty classy!

How, you may ask?

Trust me, it takes swallowing your better judgment when you are purchasing these crazy things you would never purchase otherwise. I am constantly battling with myself because I try and talk myself out of purchasing neon colored shirts or some pretty out there dresses.

However, it’s not too hard once you get out of the store!

Actually, it’s really pretty simple.

Ready?

Tone it down with something neutral and soft.

For example.

If I was to wear that dress/shirt/ whatever it’s supposed to be up above, I would pair it with black leggings, ballet flats, a jean jacket, a side messy bun, and a cute necklace. Suddenly, a crazy party dress has turned into a cute everyday look that is not as overpowering and outlandish.

Neutral whites, creams, browns, and black cardigans also work great for softening and toning down crazy pieces of clothing. When you wear a cardigan over a shirt, you see a lot less of it. Most of the crazy clothing patterns out there are actually pretty tolerable if they are just peeking through a little bit.

Animal prints are great, but they NEED to be paired with something! Otherwise you might look more like a zebra than you’d like! J Again, jackets and cardigans work great for making these classy and more tolerable.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t be afraid of clothes! By some super fun pieces. Buy things that make you a little bit uncomfortable. And have fun with them! Make them into outfits you ARE comfortable in, outfits you love, and outfits that you will get a ton of compliments on!